UK Government’s ‘harmful’ welfare reforms do not reflect Scotland’s values

Social Justice Secretary to address child poverty conference.

The Scottish Government will not replicate cuts to Personal Independence Payment being proposed by the UK Government and Scotland's Adult Disability Payment will not be cut, Shirley-Anne Somerville has told welfare rights workers.

Speaking to the Child Poverty Action Group's Welfare Rights Conference this morning, the Social Justice Secretary thanked welfare rights advisors for the key contribution they make to the Scottish Government's ambition of ending child poverty and repeated calls for the UK Government to rethink its programme of welfare reforms.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Ms Somerville said:

“The UK Government welfare reforms do not reflect the Scottish Government's values and we will not let disabled people down as the UK Government has done.

“Just as with the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, we will not choose to balance our budgets on the backs of the most vulnerable and we will not cut Scotland's Adult Disability Payment. 

“We were not consulted on the UK Government's cuts to Winter Fuel Payments, or their subsequent U-turn and we have not been consulted about these latest changes.

“But we know the UK Government's own analysis shows that these so-called ‘reforms' will push a further 250,000 people – including 50,000 children – into poverty. 

“These plans have yet to be passed at Westminster, so there is still time for the UK Government to scrap their harmful proposals. We will continue to urge the UK Government to follow our lead and protect the social security safety system, rather than dismantling it.”